Vol. 552 No. 1
717 Mr. G. Reynolds asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will ensure that the standard of Irish used in ordinary level leaving and junior certificate Irish examination papers is equivalent to basic ordinary level Irish standard and not as on previous recent papers and sample papers. [11402/02]
My Department prepares the official examination papers and sample examination papers in Irish, using a standard of language appropriate to the particular certificate examination – junior or leaving – and to the level within that examination – foundation, ordinary or higher.
The chief examiner's report on Irish in the 2001 leaving certificate has recently been published. The report demonstrates that examiners reported that the questions in the papers were so phrased as to give candidates very good opportunities to demonstrate their competence and knowledge of both the course content and the medium, and so achieve high marks. It is also interesting to note that the percentages of students achieving A, B and C grades on the leaving certificate ordinary level papers has been rising consistently in the period 1997 to 2001. Similar satisfaction was expressed by the chief examiner in his report to the Department about the suitability of the junior certificate ordinary level examination paper in Irish and in the quality of both the answers and the awards they attracted. However, the Deputy should note that sample question papers and in-school examination papers are prepared by commercial publishers. My Department has no responsibility for the content and standard of Irish of any of these publications.
